With the onset of autumn begins hot season for gardeners. At this time of the year, it is important not only to harvest the crop, but to be able to save it correctly, so that later in winter you can get all the vitamins necessary for the body from the fruits and vegetables harvested in advance.
One of most useful vegetables considered onions. Onions help in the prevention of colds and protection from harmful microorganisms.
There are such methods of harvesting onions as pickling, drying and freezing. According to experts drying is considered the most usefulbecause the onions retain their original appearance and taste while drying, and the preparation does not require large expenses.
You will learn how to properly prepare onions for the winter and at the same time preserve all its useful properties by reading our article.
Which is best kept?
Different types of onions are stored differently. - Some varieties can be stored throughout the winter and in no way lose their properties, while others can withstand only a short time. Before you start harvesting onions, you need to know how this variety is located for long-term storage.
You should know that, for example, sweet varieties will be stored for a short time, and bitter ones, on the contrary, may lie throughout the winter.
Onion varieties that are suitable for winter harvesting, isolated such as:
- Rostov onion.
- Albion.
- Golden.
- Mayachkovsky local.
- Strigunovsky local.
- Spassky local improved.
- Carmen
- Brunswick
- Timiryazevsky and many others.
Read more about suitable varieties for long-term storage in the article "Storing onions for the winter."
In the event that you do not know which variety grows on your garden bed, try different methods of harvesting on it, one of them will definitely suit you.
Fundamental rules
So, you have chosen a suitable variety of onions and a method of preparation - drying. Next, we describe the main stages that will help you to prepare the onions for the winter.
How to prepare onions for drying? Onions should also be prepared for drying and storage in the garden.. You can start the drying process right there, if you have the opportunity.
When do you need to remove the bow? Onions can be harvested on average depending on the variety. 90-120 days after landing. In ripe onions, the leaves turn yellow and lie flat on the ground, with the bulbs increasing in size and poured. In this case, you should start harvesting onions.
When the onions have ripened and the feathers have dried, the bulbs must be carefully pulled out of the soil and spread out on the ground. Digging onions do not shake the ground from the roots and strike the bulbs. Roots and feathers cannot be damaged, as from this the vegetable will soon begin to deteriorate.
It is best to pull out the bulbs after the rain or from the pre-moistened soil, since the onion will have to be dug out of dry soil, and this can damage the roots of the plant.
After the onions have been dug, it must be left in the sun for a short time in order for it to dry slightly.
Then you need to sort out the crop and select for drying and storage. only strong and whole bulbs.
In the event that the bulb is at least slightly damaged, it must be set aside for eating.
Where and how to dry onions? After you have selected the onions for drying, you must move them to a special room, since the onions should not be stored under the sun, but in the shade. Onion drying room should be well ventilated and protect from excessive moisture.
For drying, onions can be laid out on shelves, joined together in several bunches and hung from the ceiling or laid out on a grid stretched parallel to the floor. You can also fold the bow in a stocking or net and also hang it under the ceiling.
If you want to dry onions in one of these ways, the dried stems must be cut off from the bulb, leaving 4-6 cm long stem.
In this form, the onion will be dried 2 weeks. During this time, it is necessary to periodically move, turn over, monitor, the fruits that began to deteriorate immediately pick.
Tips on how and where to dry onions after harvesting from an experienced gardener in this video:
How to keep onions after drying?
Already dried onions should be carefully re-sorted and then folded into baskets or boxes of openings for the passage of air. If possible, it is better to fold the bow in several small containers than in one common box - so the bow is better preserved.
Dried onions should be stored in the basement or cellar. If you do not have a cellar, it is better to choose for storage dark and cool places. How to store onions at home, read on our website.
Onion during storage, you need to sort out several times, check for the presence of spoiled bulbs.
This will help protect the remaining onions from rotting.
how reduce humidity in the basement?
If there is high humidity in your basement, you can reduce it as follows: to do this, pour ash, lime or shavings in jars and place them indoors.
They will absorb moisture from the air, and the bow will not suffer from it.
Ways
The above method of harvesting onions is not for everyone. If you do not have a special room for drying onions, or if it seems to be time consuming, you have a way out. There are several alternative ways of drying onions at home for the winter, we will tell you about them in more detail.
How to dry onions in the oven? You must admit that everybody is able to do this method, because all they need is a bow and an oven, which everyone has.
For drying onions, a little dried in the sun is necessary clean, wash and cut. Then put the sliced onions on a baking sheet and put in the oven.
After dried onions need let it cool and then pack it up and enjoy the health all winter. And in order to keep the onion longer, it must be viewed from time to time for an example of corruption.
How to dry onions in electric drier? Electrodryer, of course, is not at all, but it is a very useful machine for harvesting vegetables and fruits for the winter. If you are constantly engaged in harvesting, you should think about purchasing it.
Drying onions using electric dryers is quite simple. Here you can dry as chives and leeks. If you dry green onions, then you just need to cut it into small pieces, put in an electric dryer and dry until ready.
In the case of leek, the bleached part must be washed and cut into small pieces.
Then chopped onion should be lowered briefly in boiling water for blanching.
Before you start to dry onions, it must be cooled in cold water. Next, you need to put onions in a colander and let drain water. Only after drying can you put the bow in an electric dryer with temperature 65-70 ° С.
How to cook onion dried? Instructions for drying onions in an electric dryer in this video:
How to dry onions in the microwave? Onions can also be dried in the microwave. To do this, you need to cut it, put a small amount of chopped onion on a napkin and place in the microwave. Cover with a second napkin. Turn on the microwave for 3 minutes at maximum power.
You can learn how to dry other vegetables with such methods for the winter, for example: garlic, spicy chili, sweet paprika, carrots and beets, from our articles.
Features
In addition to onions, about the method of drying which we have described above, there are such types of onions as leeks and green onions. We will tell you about how to dry and store these varieties of onions.
Leek: Drying Secrets
How to dry leek for winter in an electric dryer and oven? Leek can be prepared for the winter with drying, freezing and storing fresh in a refrigerator. Read more in the article "Storage leek for the winter."
The drying process is not much different from the drying of onions. Leek must be crushed into small pieces and then dried in an oven or electric drier.
With special preparation, leek can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 months. At the same time, it has a fresh taste and can be eaten or added to salads as decoration.
For frost the same leek must be cut into small pieces, spread out in thin packets into packages and put in the freezer. Such a bow will retain all its beneficial properties.
Green onions: the secrets of drying
Is it possible to dry green onions for the winter? Tips on drying green onions in the oven and further storage in this video:
When drying, green onions retain all their taste and vitamins contained in it.
If possible, it is better to dry green onions outdoors.
Pre-bow need to sort out, select the spoiled and thick stems. Suitable stalks should be washed, cut into small pieces and spread out on a board or on a sieve.
The board should not be placed directly in the sun - it can damage the bow. It is better to dry green onions in the shade, in a not stuffy place.
Video instruction for drying green onions in an electric dryer. We look:
Read about this and other ways to store green onions on our website.
As you can see, drying and harvesting onions for the winter does not make much effort. Bow can stored for a long timeif periodically monitor its condition.
Such advance preparation will help you even in winter all the vitamins your body needs and not get sick. And green onions as a decoration on your New Year's table will completely surprise all your friends.
